UB2020 Scholars Fund

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The Office of the Vice President for Research appreciates the need to make seed funding more accessible to faculty to stimulate high order of excellence in keeping with its UB2020 goals. We invite proposals from scholars in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (which include law, business and social work) for research, creative and artistic activities demonstrating or leading to academic excellence. We are particularly interested in supporting research aligned with one of the UB2020 strategic strengths and projects that will enhance the level of scholarly, creative and artistic activity at UB. The purpose of these grants is to foster the development of truly innovative work by faculty at UB.

We are especially interested in supporting work of outstanding promise and high order of excellence that does not have significant available funding from the applicant's department, school, college, or through external funding agencies. Should your work fall into this category, please make it clear in your application.

Eligibility

All UB tenured or tenure-track faculty in the selected disciplines are encouraged to apply. Only one proposal submission per person is permitted.

Submission deadline

Grant proposals (original plus 5 copies) must be submitted by the close of business on March 2, 2009 to Dr. Kenneth Tramposch, Associate Vice President for Research, 516 Capen Hall.

Terms of Award

Appropriate applications include requests to fund fully developed major projects and requests for travel, materials, or smaller projects that may lead eventually to the production of a major work, monograph, or artistic project. While we anticipate making awards from this round of competition, the final funding decisions will be made in the context of UB’s budget situation when the reviews are completed in April 2009. The available research support will be divided into two grant categories. Smaller grants will be for awards of $1,000-$5,000, and the larger one for grants of $5,000-$15,000. Both grants can be used for similar purposes. At the one year anniversary date of the award, awardees will be required to present the outcome of their project at a Scholars workshop and provide a brief (i.e., three pages) written final report. Contingent upon available funding, awards will start on May 1, 2009. The Vice President for Research will make final decisions based on faculty review panel recommendations.

Budget Restrictions

The budget should list all projected expenditures (travel, equipment, materials, software, etc.). Faculty salaries cannot be budgeted. No other category of expense is automatically excluded; acceptable expenses are determined by the nature of the project and the justification submitted.

Application Format

The proposals must include:

  • Fully Completed Proposal Cover Page.
  • A description of the project including a statement of how the activity is aligned with UB2020 strategic strengths (maximum 3 pages, 12 point font, single spaced, 1 inch margins).
  • Budget and justification
  • Applicant’s brief CV, including a list of current and pending support. (4 pages)

Review Process

Proposals will be subject to peer review by panels of senior faculty in the applicant’s academic area (humanities, arts, social sciences). Awards will be based on the intrinsic merit, high order of excellence, potential for new and novel results, scope and potential impact on the mission of UB2020.